[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 739 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 739

           Supporting the goals and ideals of Engineers Week.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 15, 2018

Mr. Lipinski (for himself, Mr. Foster, Mr. McKinley, Ms. Eddie Bernice 
 Johnson of Texas, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Kilmer, Mr. Larsen of Washington, 
  Mr. McNerney, Mr. Raskin, Mr. Ryan of Ohio, Ms. Slaughter, and Mr. 
 Tonko) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
  Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the 
     Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
           Supporting the goals and ideals of Engineers Week.

Whereas engineers employ their scientific knowledge and analytical skills for 
        the betterment of the United States;
Whereas the mission of DiscoverE (formerly the National Engineers Week 
        Foundation) is to sustain and grow a dynamic engineering profession 
        through outreach, education, celebration, and volunteerism as needed to 
        keep the United States a global leader in engineering and engineering 
        education;
Whereas the sponsors of Engineers Week are working together to transform the 
        engineering workforce through greater inclusion of women and 
        underrepresented minorities;
Whereas by engaging young students, parents, and educators in hands-on science, 
        technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) activities, engineers 
        help them discover how they can make a meaningful difference in the 
        world;
Whereas the partnership between engineers and teachers inspires future 
        generations of engineering and technology talent;
Whereas tens of thousands of engineers and engineering students will serve their 
        communities not only through their work but, at this time of year, by 
        reaching into hundreds of local communities;
Whereas engineers have helped meet the major global challenges of our time, 
        including providing state-of-the-art transportation and information 
        technology infrastructures, enhancing national security, and developing 
        the clean energy technologies needed to power the people of the United 
        States into the future;
Whereas most people in the United States continue to say that the benefits of 
        science outweigh the potential harms, that the Federal Government should 
        fund research, and that ``science creates more opportunity for the next 
        generation'' according to the National Science Board's 2018 Science and 
        Engineering Indicators;
Whereas engineers are a crucial link in research, development, and the 
        transformation of scientific discoveries into useful products and jobs, 
        as the people of the United States look more than ever to engineers and 
        their imagination, knowledge, and analytical skills to meet the 
        challenges of the future;
Whereas the National Science Board's 2018 Science and Engineering Indicators 
        show that the number of students obtaining engineering bachelor's 
        degrees in the United States has increased steadily for the last 15 
        years for which data are available, yet the rates for women do not 
        reflect our national demographics, with only 20 percent of bachelor's 
        degrees in engineering being earned by women;
Whereas the National Science Board's ``Science and Engineering Indicators 2018'' 
        show that historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, 
        particularly Blacks and Hispanics, continue to display lower 
        participation rates in science and engineering (S&E) occupations 
        relative to their presence in the United States population, comprising 
        about 11 percent of the S&E workforce;
Whereas the National Science Foundation's National Center for Science and 
        Engineering Statistics report on ``Women, Minorities, and Persons with 
        Disabilities in Science and Engineering 2017'' shows that women are 
        closing the gap with men in S&E educational attainment but are still 
        underrepresented in S&E occupations;
Whereas only around 4 percent of the Nation's workforce is comprised of 
        scientists and engineers, yet this group disproportionately creates jobs 
        for the other 96 percent;
Whereas DiscoverE has grown into a formal coalition of more than 100 
        professional societies, major corporations, and government agencies that 
        serves as a hub of engineering outreach dedicated to ensuring a diverse 
        and well-educated engineering workforce, promoting literacy in science, 
        technology, engineering, and mathematics, and raising public awareness 
        and appreciation of the contributions of engineers to society; and
Whereas February 18, 2018, to February 24, 2018, has been designated as 
        Engineers Week by DiscoverE and the theme is, ``Engineers: Inspiring 
        Wonder'', spotlighting the important contributions of the engineering 
        community to our quality of life now and in the future, including awe-
        inspiring wonders like cloud-busting skyscrapers and human travel to 
        Mars and daily marvels like clean drinking water, computers, and cars: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of Engineers Week to 
        increase understanding of and interest in engineering and 
        technology careers and to promote technological literacy and 
        engineering education;
            (2) recognizes that engineering education is a critical 
        component of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and 
        mathematics) education and essential to improving the United 
        States educational system and economic prosperity; and
            (3) ensures that technological solutions designed by the 
        engineering community can be advanced through research, 
        development, standardization, and innovation.
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